The Relationship Between the Education of ESL Parents and Their Attitude and Participation in Their Child s Preschool Education.

Transcription

1 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 1 Running Head: ESL PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION The Relationship Between the Education of ESL Parents and Their Attitude and Participation in Their Child s Preschool Education. A.F. Bellarmine University

2 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Abstract 3 II. Introduction 4 Purpose of Study 4 Justification of Study 5 Hypotheses 6 Independent and Dependent Variables 6 Definition of Terms 6 III. Review of Literature 7 IV. Methodology 21 Research Design 21 Population and Sample Design 22 Instrument 22 Data Collection Procedures 24 Data Analysis Procedures 24 V. Results 26 VI. Conclusions 29 Accept/Reject Hypotheses 29 Interpretations of the Results 30 Relate Finding to Review of Literature 31 Problems with Possible Intervening Variables or Biases 32 Suggestions for Further Research 33 VII. References 34 VIII. Appendices 35 Parent Consent Form 35 First Parent Interview 37 Second Parent Interview 39 Initial Interview Responses 41 Second Interview Responses 43 Parent Attitude Graphs 45 Parent Participation Graphs 48

3 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 3 Abstract In recent years, the population of children entering within the United States who speak English as a second language has increased drastically. With the increase of ESL students researchers have found that these students are overrepresented in special education programs. According to recent studies, an important factor in the academic success of a child is the parents participation in the child s education. This study looks specifically at how the educational experience of the parent influences the parents attitude and participation in their child s education. A total of 5 children were used in this study, and results concluded that although the parents past educational experience does influence their attitude towards their child s school, it has little impact on the parent s participation in school provided family activities. Additional discussion includes suggestions for further research.

4 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 4 Introduction to Research Problem Purpose of Study Over the past twenty years there has been a great change in the population of students attending school in the United States. According to the U.S. census in 2004, there has been a 13% increase in the Hispanic/Latino population since the year 2000 (Huennekens, & Xu, 2010). Unfortunately schools have been unprepared to meet the needs of students who come into their program with little or no knowledge of the English language. Due to school s inability to meet student s needs, many English Language Learners are overrepresented in special education programs (Huennekens, & Xu, 2010, p. 19). There is a great need for reform when it comes to educating English Language Learners. In an effort to improve student performance, many schools have turned to parent involvement programs to help students become successful. Chavkin and Garza-Lubeck (1990) explain that researchers have found great benefit for students whose parents are involved in their education, parental involvement appears to be twice as predictive of academic learning as is family socioeconomic status, some programs reported predictive effects 10 times as large ( 3). Parental involvement has proven to be beneficial for the child in more than just academic success; developmental psychologist Bronfenbrenner found that parent involvement in school activities is beneficial for the development the whole child (Brilliant, 2001). Many schools have taken this research and put it into action, but were disappointed with attendance. Schools and researchers have studied the problem that English Language Learners are facing in the U.S. education system today, and have found that one major key to the solution could be increasing parental involvement within the school (Chavkin & Garza-Lubeck, 1990). Unfortunately, many schools are facing poor attendance to parent involvement programs from

5 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 5 minority groups such as the Hispanic/Latino population. Researchers have found that many Hispanic/Latino parents feel unwelcome in the school, do not understand the education system in the U.S., are uncomfortable with school staff, are afraid because they are undocumented, or face language barriers themselves (August & Shanahan, 2006; Brilliant, 2001). The problem that schools now face is how to create a safe and culturally welcoming environment for all parents. The current study will explore how a parent s educational experience influences his or her participation in their child s preschool education. Justification of Study Research shows that minority students are more likely to be successful within the school environment when behavioral affective, and cognitive norms and expectations for children are sufficiently similar at home and at school that they do not clash in ways that confuse, demotivate, or create obstacles to children s learning (August & Shanahan, 2006, p. 269). Students who have consistency between the school and home environment are much more likely to be more successful than students whose environments clash. In order for schools to break down the barrier separating the home and school environments educators must learn more about the home culture and incorporate that culture into the school and related activities. The data gathered from this research is intended to help educators understand the home culture of English Language Learners, as well as to understand how parents view education. It may also serve as a background for future research in the significance of parental involvement in the education of English Language Learners.

6 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 6 Hypotheses Based on previous research, the three hypotheses that were tested are: H 1 : Children whose parents report having a positive experience in their own education will be more likely to participate in family activities. H 2 : Mothers who completed more years of schooling will be more involved in family activities. H 3 : Parents who report feeling that the school meets the needs of the family will be more likely to participate in family activities. Independent and Dependent Variables This study has attempted to find the connection between a parents educational experience and their attitude and participation in their child s preschool education. The primary independent variable was how parents view their own educational experience. The dependent variables were (1) a measure of parent involvement in family activities within the school environment based on programs provided, including: activities provided in the weekly newsletter, HEART Health program, STAR reading program, reading daily with child, attending family nights, and volunteering in the classroom; (2) Parent report of attitude towards their child s school. The other independent variable will be age; this was controlled to only include children between the ages of 3 to 5. The relationship between the independent and dependent variables was tested through analysis of interviews completed by parents in their native language (see Appendix B and C). Definition of Terms The following terms are defined according to the way they are used throughout the research study.

7 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 7 Parent- Guardian who has temporary or permanent rights over child, and legal rights to make educational decisions Parent Inclusion Programs- Any activity provided by the school that encourages parental involvement ESL- English as a Second Language, may refer to children who are learning English as their second language or programs provided by the school to scaffold English learning. ELL- English Language Learners: individuals who are learning English as their second language. DLL- Dual Language Learning: programs where both English and Spanish language and cultures are accepted equally in the classroom. STAR- A reading program provided by the school which encourages parents to read daily with their child, after parents fill an entire sheet (1 months worth) of reading activities the child will receive a reward. HEART- A health program provided by the school which encourages families to create healthy habits, such as brushing teeth, eating healthy foods, drinking water, and exercising. When a child completes a months worth of activities he/she will receive a reward. Review of Literature English Language Learners The education of English Language Learners (ELLs) has become an important topic of discussion throughout the United States in recent years. According to a study by The Urban Institute in 2006 one in five children (under the age of 18) is a child of immigrants (Huennekens, & Xu, 2010, p.19). In their course of study Huennekens and Xu reported that one school district reported a 200% increase in the number of ELLs for the previous 16 years (p.

8 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 8 19). With the high increase in population of students who are learning English, the need for effective English as a second language (ESL) programs has become especially important in today s education system. Within the same school district, Huennekens and Xu reported that ELLs made up 53% of the students in elementary level special education classes (p. 19). Overrepresentation of ELL students in special education is consistent throughout the country. This is largely due to ESL programs that are not meeting student s needs. Of the one in five children who are born of immigrants, the Hispanic/Latino population is the fastest growing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau the between the years 2000 and 2004 the Latino population increased by 13% in the United States (Huennekens and Xu, 2010, p. 19). It was also reported that of the 13% increase in the Hispanic population, 4.2 million were preschool age (p. 19) Although there is not currently a mandatory preschool program in the United States, In 2007, 34.7% of Head Start students were Spanish-speaking English Language Learners (p. 19). This large increase in school age Hispanic/Latino English Language Learners has created a nationwide push to both examine and reform the U.S. approach to teaching English language learners. The American education system was designed to educate English speaking students. With the rapid increase of English Language Learners many schools were unprepared to help immigrant children succeed in school. According to researches August & Shanahan English speakers from working-class backgrounds and the language minority children showed significantly poorer performance than those English speakers from middle class backgrounds on both the oral and reading tests. (August & Shanahan, 2006, p. 110). Poor scores on academic tests result in an overpopulation of ELLs in special education as stated earlier. August and Shanahan also explain that poor academic performance is not the result of an adverse influence

9 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 9 of children s cultural characteristics on their learning, but of schools failure -perhaps inability- to accommodate instruction to aspects of children s home cultures (p. 270). Hispanic and Latino cultures do not place low value on the education of their children, quite oppositely Latino cultures value education as an equalizer that provides opportunity for improving life in the future (Brilliant, 2001, p. 251). Supported throughout the research of August and Shanahan (2006), a child s home culture does not influence the child s academic attainment; instead, what matters most is that behavioral, affective, and cognitive norms and expectations for children are sufficiently similar at home and at school that they do not clash in ways that confuse, demotivate, or create obstacles to children s learning (p. 269). Hispanic/Latino cultures value education and want their children to succeed, but with the U.S. school systems unprepared to work with ELL families parents may not know how to help their children. Dual Language Learning Over the past twenty years educators have developed many strategies for helping English Language Learners succeed in the classroom. The most common program, known as English as a Second Language (ESL) can be defined as a program that pulls children out of the regular education classroom for part of the day, to provide instruction which will scaffold learning and help prepare non-english students for immersion in a regular education classroom. Native language may be used in an ESL classroom during the beginning of the scaffolding process, but the native language is slowly removed to prepare children for English immersion in the regular classroom. ESL is usually a temporary program that is designed to help ELLs acquire the necessary skills to be successful in a mainstream English classroom, as skills are developed support is slowly decreased (Shorr, 2006, 8).

10 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 10 Another growing trend throughout the United States is two way language programs, also known as Dual Language Learning (DLL). A Dual Language program can be defined as a program where both English and Spanish speaking students work together to develop bilingualism. According to Pascopella the objective is to provide all students the opportunity to maintain and develop their first language while simultaneously acquiring proficiency in a second language. It helps both groups achieve academic performance at or above grade level and obtain positive cross-cultural attitudes and behaviors (Pascopella, 2011, p. 41). According to Kim Potowski (2004) of the University of Illinois at Chicago The main goals of dual immersion are for all students to reach high levels of academic proficiency, bilingualism, and self-esteem, as well as to develop positive cross-cultural attitudes (p. 75). Dual Language Learning opens doors and provides consistency between the home and school environment, which as explained earlier by August and Shanahan (2006) is an important factor in the successful education of English language learners. In the mainstream education system English speaking parents and families are more easily able to open communication between school and home (August & Shanahan, 2006, p. 297). According to Parkes (2008), bilingual education is a model that serves both majority language students and minority language students to attain high academic achievement through two languages, to develop true bilingualism/biliteracy ability and to gain a multicultural appreciation with strong cross-cultural competence (p. 636). In an effort to create open communication with all families many schools have adopted a counterhegemonic environment which is based upon practices designed to challenge the higher status associated with speaking English in the United States (August & Shanahan, 2006, p. 297). Within a school this may look

11 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 11 like educators encouraging speaking, reading and writing in both English and Spanish, or other languages depending on the population of students. A great deal of research has been completed in the area of how dual language learning influences the education of students, especially Spanish speaking students. Another study cited by August and Shanahan found that promoting Spanish home literacy activities produced a positive effect on English preliteracy achievement in kindergarten, whereas the other [another study] found that promoting English home literacy activities had no effect on English literacy achievement in first grade (p. 257). Studies have shown that ELL families are more likely to read to their children in the families native language, which promotes both language and literacy skills (Huennekens & Xu, 2010). Even if families are reading together in Spanish, research supports that shared reading promotes language and literacy in both languages (Huennekens & Xu, 2010). In order for a program to be considered a dual language program, at least 50% of instruction should be in Spanish or the schools second language depending on the population of students. A recent study by Parkes (2008) on dual language programs found that of those parents who chose dual language for their children, 45.4% speak primarily English with their child, while 54.6% speak primarily Spanish (p. 635). According to research by Parkes (2008) there are several reasons why parents choose bilingual education for their children. After surveying 724 families whose children participated in dual language programs in the South West U.S.A., Parkes found that 93.6% of families wanted their child to be billiterate, being able to speak, read, and write in two languages (Parkes, 2008, p. 645). Other important factors for parents who chose a dual language program included: Children being successful in a global society 63.1%

12 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 12 Children being more successful in school 61.3% Children being comfortable relating to different people 60.7% Children being able to relate to heritage 50% Other 6.3% o Parents want children to be challenged o Parents want children to learn a second language o Parents think it will be easier to learn the language (p ) Although there were many different reasons for parents choosing bilingual education Parkes discovered that reasons for choosing bilingual education were almost identical across education levels (p. 646). Dual language education is a growing trend throughout the United States. The goal of dual language programs is to create a learning environment that recognizes and respects the language and culture of all children. Parents are choosing dual language programs for many purposes, but both English and Spanish speaking parents report choosing dual language programs to help their child become billiterate. Parent Inclusion In an effort to create a more effective and culturally responsive learning environment, many schools have invested in parent/family inclusion programs. There has been a great deal of research completed in the area of parent inclusion which supports the positive influence parent inclusion has on student success. Chavkin and Garza-Lubeck (1990) explain that activities at home such as informed parent-child conversations about school, encouragement and discussion of leisure reading, expression of affection and interest, and monitoring and joint analysis of

13 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 13 television viewing appears to be twice as predictive of academic learning as is family socioeconomic status, some programs reported predictive effects 10 times as large ( 3). Bronfenbrenner supports this by holding that the development of the whole child, in multiple developmental domains, is benefited by parent participation in school activities (Brilliant, 2001, p. 253). Effective parent inclusion programs not only positively influence a student s academic success, but also the development of the whole child. There have been many benefits found from effective parent inclusion programs. Huennekens and Xu (2010) found in their research that, extensive research was found supporting the powerful effects of family involvement on children s literacy development (p. 20). In her research Brilliant (2001) explains that there are many benefits that children gain from parental involvement, which include improvement in: academics, language, behavior, and attitude towards school (p. 253). Students have a much greater success rate if schools provide opportunities for families to participate in informed parent involvement activities. Although a great deal of research has been found supporting parental involvement, research has found that there is lower parental involvement in the Latino community (Brilliant, 2001, p. 253). Despite the fact that ESL parents tend to have lower involvement in their child s education, parental involvement can be especially beneficial for children who are learning English as their second language. August & Shanahan (2006) explain that Latino immigrant parents may come to the United States with high regard for the value of education, but the longer they are exposed to U.S. society, the more they display a pattern of lowered expectations and the less successful their children are in school (p. 270). This is largely due to the fact that schools are unprepared to meet the cultural needs and the language barriers that ESL families face.

14 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 14 There are many barriers that ESL parents face when entering the public school system, these may include: parents ability to speak and/or understand English, parents lack of understanding of the U.S. school system, and feeling unwanted (Brilliant, 2001, p. 254). Brilliant (2001) also explains that parents may have difficulty in helping their children with homework if they do not know the mainstream language, curriculum, and/or expectations of the school system. Parents may also struggle when trying to communicate with school personnel (p. 254). If schools do not meet the cultural and language needs of their families, parental involvement takes a dramatic decrease which negatively influences the students chance of success. Many schools throughout the country have created programs to encourage parental involvement, and have been disappointed with attendance. Brilliant (2001) explains that there are many factors that influence a parents involvement, including family literacy, residency, and support within the school system (Brilliant, 2001, p. 253). If the families native language is used, and parents feel comfortable in the school environment they are much more likely to participate in their child s education. August and Shanahan (2006) also found in their research that a parents involvement in their child s education is strongly influenced by whether the parents are documented immigrants or undocumented (p. 271). Parents who are undocumented may be much more cautious of participating in activities that may put them and their families at risk for leaving the country. There is a misconception among many schools that ESL families are not interested in their child s education. However, most ESL parents want to help their children but just don t know how. According to research from August and Shanahan (2006) (a) parents of language minority children place a high value on their children s formal schooling and appear willing to do, what they can to contribute to it & (b) schools tend to underestimate language-minority

15 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 15 parent interest in and ability to contribute to their children s literacy development (p. 295). Literacy activities, especially when incorporating the families native language, are a great way for schools to promote parent involvement in their child s education. Huennekens and Xu (2010) explain that home literacy activities, such as daily reading, greatly impact a child s preliteracy and literacy skills (p. 20). Not only do home literacy experiences have a positive influence on a students academic success, but also can have a positive impact on a child s language development (p. 20). Supportive of Bronfenbrenner s theory that parent involvement supports the development of the whole child, research has shown that The process of book sharing between a parent and a child not only promotes language and literacy development but also strengthens a child s emotional attachment to the parent and enhances the parent-child interaction (Kuo & Franke, 2004, p. 1948). Home literacy activities promote parent involvement as well as student success and emotional development. There are many factors that influence a parents involvement in their child s literacy development, including the number of books in the home, the language used in the home, and the mothers education level. In their research Kuo and Franke (2004) interviewed Hispanic families who either speak English (422 families) in the home or Spanish (395 families) (p. 1945). Of the families interviewed 21% of children have 10 or fewer children s books in the home, with 2% reporting having no children s books at all (p. 1945). If families do not have access to books parental involvement in literacy activities is not possible. Kuo and Franke also found that Hispanic families who speak English in the home are much more likely to read daily than Hispanic families who speak Spanish; the numbers fall from 42% of Hispanic (Eng) families reading daily, to only 15% of Hispanic (Spn) families reading daily (p. 1945). Similarly, families who never read jump from 6% of Hispanic (Eng) families, to 25% of Hispanic (Spn) families (p.

16 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION ). In their research Kuo and Franke (2004) also found that a Mother s education level highly influences their participation in home literacy activities. For example, of those interviewed only 35% of Mothers who had an education level less than high school read to their children daily, while 48% of Mothers who had completed high school read daily and 63% of Mothers who completed more than high school read daily (p. 1945). It is important for schools to help families create daily reading routines, because studies show that daily reading routines are important for a child s early literacy development (p. 1944). Over time schools have come to recognize the many benefits of parental involvement in school related activities both in the school and at home. Unfortunately, a low percentage of parents of minority families participate in these activities; not because they do not care, but because they do not understand the school system or how to get help (Brilliant, 2001, p. 253). Chavkin & Garza-Lubeck (1990) found in their research that 95% of Hispanic and black parents agreed or strongly agreed with six statements: (1) I should make sure that my children do their homework, (2) I wasn t to spend time helping my children get the best education, (3) I cooperate with my children s teachers, (4) Teachers should give me ideas about helping my children with homework, (5) I should be responsible for getting more involved in my children s school, and (6) I want teachers to send more information home about classroom learning activities ( 7). Williams and Chavkin also supported these findings in their article, Essential Elements of Strong Parent Involvement Programs (Williams & Chavkin, 2011). Despite the low numbers of minority parents who participate parental activities language-minority parents express willingness and often have the ability to help their children succeed academically. There is evidence that these parents value their children s formal schooling and are responsive to attempts to involve them in supporting their children s school success (August & Shanahan, 2006, p. 257). According to Chavkin and Garza-Lubeck (1990)

17 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 17 62% of minority parents agreed that teachers should be in charge of getting parents involved in the school ( 8); similarly, 75 percent of the Hispanic parents agreed that school districts should make rules for involving parents ( 8). Schools that help minority parents transition into the school system, and provide opportunities for all parents to become involved are much more likely to have successful parent involvement activities. Brilliant (2001) explains that parents who received training exhibited a significant difference in school-related activities compared to those without training (p. 262). Brilliant (2001) also explains that Spanish-speaking parents who participated in the study value being involved in their children s education and, given training in skills to navigate an unfamiliar school system, seek to overcome barriers that prevent them from doing so (p. 262). Parental involvement is highly influential to child development, and it is the responsibility of the school to provide trainings and opportunities for parents to become involved. Education in Mexico Studies have shown that a parent s education level, in particularly the Mothers education level, highly influences the education of the child. Therefore it is important for researchers to understand the education of the parent. According to Parker and Pederzini (2000) The Mexican education system consists of mandatory free primary and, as of 1992, secondary education (p. 7), however many students drop out by the high school level. After primary school students are given the choice between a curriculum oriented towards preparing them for higher education and a curriculum which is oriented towards technical schools and/or curriculum which prepares them for entering the workforce (p. 7). Technical school can be completed at any time after primary school, and is usually focused at preparing students for the workforce. This route is especially popular for females, almost 15 percent of all women (versus 7.5 percent of men)

18 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 18 report that they have attended technical school, and the percentage of female workers with technical school is approximately 21 percent (compared with 8 percent of male workers) (p. 7). Parker and Pederzini (2000) explain that over the last 50 years, and especially since the education law passed in 1992, the average level of education has consistently increased; for instance whereas the average years of completed schooling for individuals between the ages of 25 and 29 is approximately eight years of schooling, for the population aged 65 and older, this figure is less than three years of schooling (p. 7). However, it is still highly uncommon for students to receive a University-level education, approximately 15 percent of men aged 25 to 40 and [only] 11 percent of women aged 25 to 40 report having completed at least one year of university-level education (p. 7). Although education has become more of a priority in recent years, many men and particularly women are receiving no more than eight years of education in their lifetime. One major challenge that is faced in the Mexican education system is the problem with school attendance. This is especially true in rural areas where absent fathers or mothers have much larger negative impacts on the school attendance of rural children than urban children (Parker & Pederzini, 2000, p. 37). This is especially true for boys, which is consistent with the explanation that boys may substitute in the work force for their absent fathers in rural areas (p. 37). Interestingly, the absence of the mother has a stronger impact on school attendance then the absence of the father. In their research Parker and Pederzini (2000) found that the absence of the mother reduces the probability of school attendance by 14.9 percent in the case of girls and 13.6 percent in the case of boys. The corresponding effect of the father being absent is to lower the probability of school attendance by 5.6 percent for girls and 4.7 percent for boys. (p. 36). The presence of parents in the home highly influences a family s likelihood of sending their child to

19 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 19 school. Similarly a parents level of education also influence school attendance, a mothers level of education more strongly influences the school attendance of her daughter, while a father s level of education influences the school attendance of his son (p. 33). Studies have also found that family size and income level are highly influential on the academic attainment of the children. Parker and Pederzini (2000) explain that income does influence the probability that an individual s will complete more years of schooling; research has shown that children of families who farm more land are more likely to complete more years of school (p. 17). Similarly, studies have shown that the lower income deciles show evidence of very late entry to school as enrollment increases sharply from ages 6 to 9 (p. 21). Schools have tried to combat this issue by providing school breakfast and educational grants (p. 40) to promote school attendance. Unfortunately, research has also found that large families result in lower levels of education for all children (p. 16); for example, research has found that an additional child in the family aged 0 to 5 reduces the probability of school attendance for girls by 2.7 percent, and only 1.7 percent for boys (p. 37). Although schools are doing what they can to provide the necessary resources for families to send their children to school, when new children are added to the family the attendance of older siblings tend to drop. Another important topic of concern in the Mexican education system is the gender gap in education attainment. Although the gender gap is small in urban areas in both in medium-sized communities and the rural communities, a gender gap in attendance begins at the age of 11 and is larger in the rural communities (Parker & Pederzini, 2000, p. 20). Parker and Pederzini (2000) explain that after primary school the gender gap in education begins to grow, for example at age 13, 86 percent of boys are attending school versus 81 percent of girls. These trends are suggestive that more girls than boys tend to end their education level at the primary level (p.

20 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 20 19). However, by the end of secondary school the percentage of males and females are relatively equal. Unfortunately, Parker and Pederzini (2000) found that the gender gap returns at the university level with more men entering college than women. The gender gap has significantly improved over the past fifty years, when the average level of educational attainment [in rural areas was] only 1.5 years for men, and 1.2 years for women (p. 7); however, the gender gap is still a cause for concern today. Research has found that there are many factors that may influence the gender gap in Mexican education. Parker and Pederzini (2000) explain that important determining factors of school enrollment include parent s education level as well as wealth. (.) wealthier parents are more likely to send daughters to school (p. 17). Studies have also found that having a school located within the community that is easily accessible, has a large impact on the likelihood of girls to attend school (p. 39). However, parents who have to choose between sending a son or daughter to school, will in most cases choose to send the son. In their research Parker and Pederzini found that families who are forced to choose which children will go to school will usually choose the child who will most likely succeed and in return benefit the family in the future (p. 16). It is not that parents disvalue the education of their daughters, but if forced to make a choice Girls may be viewed as having a lower expected return to educational investments, so that it may be more efficient and not necessarily openly discriminatory to invest more in sons schooling. (p. 15). When choosing what children will attend school, parents tend to choose the son because they hope to improve the family s economic situation. Although the gender gap in the Mexican education system is still a cause for concern, great improvement has been made in the past 50 years. Most children, both male and female, will attend and complete primary school, and many will go on to either complete secondary or

21 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 21 technical school. Unfortunately, a low number of both males and females go on to complete a University education. Methodology Research Design The research design used was a nonexperimental quantitative survey research. It was a cross-sectional design. Subjects were purposefully chosen according to ethnicity and registration in a public preschool program. Parents or guardians of participating students were interviewed in their native language by a native speaker (see Appendix B). The questionnaire included relevant demographic information, such as members of the household. The purpose of the parental interview was to determine parental attitude towards their child s education, as well as parents participation in family activities provided by the preschool. Data was also collected within the classroom; for example, the researcher noted if parents participated in family night, had volunteered in the classroom, or returned family activity sheets such as STAR or HEART. Data was analyzed using identification codes for all responses; these results were then compared to the parents education level as well as parental responses to education attitude interview questions. Population and Sample Design Subjects will be chosen from a preschool facility located in a suburban community in north central Kentucky, north of a metropolitan area. Subjects will be chosen based on Mexican/Latino ethnicity and the family speaking Spanish at least part of the time in the home. The initial interview will be completed in the child s home during the first home visit which will occur during the first two to three weeks of school. Parents will be interviewed in their native language by a native Spanish speaker. Follow up interviews will be completed by phone in the

22 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 22 family s native language by a native Spanish speaker during the child s tenth week of school. The study will use unique participant identifiers to maintain confidentiality of the parents, and the completed surveys will be secured in a locked file cabinet, which will be accessible to the researcher only. Instrument This study used two short interviews for each family. The first interview (Appendix B) was completed by at least one parent during the child s initial home visit; this occurred during the first two-three weeks of school. The interview was completed in the families native language, unless the family asked to speak English. A native Spanish speaker attended to complete the interviews in the family s native language. This interview recorded the child s name, members of the household, and the education level of the mother/father. Parents were then asked to rate their educational experience using a Likert scale, with one being Not a good experience and four being Great. Parents were then asked if they felt they were helped in their educational experience, this was used for validating responses to the previous question. Parents were also asked if they had children in the preschool before, and what school related activities parents plan on participating in, a list was provided of provided activities and each activity was explained to the parent. Parents were also asked how many books their child has, the amount of television/computer time their child has each day, and what they wish for their child s future; these questions were asked to help the research better understand the family needs and to provide resources that the family may need. Many parents reported having low numbers of books, so the researcher created a book exchange with all families where children were allowed to borrow either English or Spanish books from the classroom to read with families, one the borrowed book was returned the child could choose another book to take home.

23 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 23 The second interview (Appendix C) was completed by phone during the child s tenth week of school. This interview was also completed in the child s native language by a native Spanish speaker unless the parent requested to speak English. This interview also recorded the child s name for data analysis purposes. During the second interview the parent was asked to rate their experience so far at the child s preschool using a Likert scale, with one being not a good experience and four being Great. Parents were then asked if they felt their family s needs were being met by their child s school, room was provided for additional comments. Next families were asked if they felt welcome/comfortable in their child school, again room was provided for additional comments. Parents were then asked to follow up on the previous interview by explaining what family activities they have participated in, again each activity was explained to parents. Next parents were asked if the provided family activities were relevant to their families interests or needs, room was provided for additional comments. Finally, room was provided for parents to provide any additional comments that they might want to share. Additional data was collected by the researcher who is also the classroom teacher. The researcher observed what families participated in family night activities, what families have volunteered in the classroom, what families participated in the classroom book exchange, and what families participated in the STAR or HEART programs. Data Collection Procedures Parental consent forms were explained prior to the initial interview in the families native language by a native Spanish speaker (see Appendix A). If parents agreed they were asked to sign the consent for prior to the initial interview. Only families who signed parental consent forms were included in this study. After consent was obtained parents participated in the initial interview (see Appendix B). Follow up interviews were completed by phone during the child s

24 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 24 tenth week of school (see Appendix C), these interviews were also completed in the families native language by a native Spanish speaker unless families requested English. Data Analysis Procedures The initial interview was conducted by person and recorded on paper by the Spanish translator. The second interview was conducted by phone and also recorded on paper by the Spanish translator. The same Spanish translator was used for all interviews to create reliability. The responses were then organized into an Excel spreadsheet to be calculated. For the initial interview (see Appendix B) the parents education experience was rated using a numerical scale based on their responses from the Likert scale; with one being Not a good experience and four being Great. The parents education level was also given a numerical value based on the number of years completed in school (ex: 1=1year, 2=2year, etc). The number of responses given in section which asked what school activities parents plan on participating in was also given a numerical value (ex: parents said yes to participating in two out of six options; 2/6). Responses for the follow up interview (Appendix C) were recorded with the initial interview responses to determine validity and connection between parent s educational experience and parent participation. Parents responses to the question How has your experience been so far at the child s school was rated using a numerical scale based on their responses from the Likert scale; with one being Not a good experience and four being Great. Responses to questions Do you feel your families needs are being met by your child s school? and Do you feel welcome/comfortable in your child s school? were used to validate responses to the Likert scale question; comments will be used for reforming school environment in the future. Parents were then asked what family activities that have participated in so far this year, the same six options were given as in the initial interview. Again the number of responses given in this section

25 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 25 was given a numerical value for data analysis (ex: parents said yes to participating in two out of six options; 2/6). The next question, Are these school activities relevant to your family s interests and/or needs? was used to validate the responses from the previous question, as well as for reforming family programs in the future. Additional comments were used in determining the validity of the responses. Results Participation in this study was particularly low; there were only five participants available at this time. Participants were chosen from the researchers preschool class through the student s enrollment at the beginning of the school year. Only student s whose families spoke Spanish at least some of the time in the home were chosen; students who spoke other languages were not included due to low numbers. However, even with the low response, demographics from the students home were fairly equally distributed, with average number of people in the household between four and seven (see Appendix D, Table 1). Each child had at least one natural parent in the household who participated in the interview. In Graph 1 (Appendix F, Graph 1) parents educational experiences were rated on a Likert scale ranging from one to four, to determine their attitude towards their own education (see Appendix B, Question 5). During the follow up interview Parent s were asked to rate their experience with their Child s preschool using the same Likert scale, ranging from one to four (see Appendix C, Question 1). Results were then compared to check for correlation. As seen in Graph 1 (Appendix F, Graph 1) a positive correlation was found between Parent s rating of their own education and their rating of their experience at their child s preschool. Parents of children one through four rated having the exact same level of experience, while child fives parents rated have a better experience with their child s preschool than in their own education.

26 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 26 Data collected on parents level of education was also compared to parent s rating of their experience at their child s preschool. Since only mothers were available to complete interviews, fathers did not rate their experience and data collected on the education level of fathers had to be thrown out. Per parent report, Mothers had completed between eight and fourteen years of education. When compared to parents rating of their experience at their child s preschool a positive correlation was found, with the exception of one outlier. As seen in Graph 2 (Appendix F, Graph 2), the responses of four of the five parents who participated followed the positive trend line, showing that mothers who completed more years of education report having a better experience with their child s school. However, there was one outlier in which the parent reported having a more negative experience at her child s preschool. Graphs 3 (Appendix F, Graph 3) shows the correlation between Parent s planned participation prior to school starting and their attitude towards school later in the year (Graph 3). In this graph there is no correlation between the number of activities parents plan on participating in and their attitude towards their child s school. Four of the five respondents only planned on participating in one family activity, while the fifth parent planned on participating in four; all respondents had varying degrees of satisfaction with their experience at their child s school. Similarly, Graph 4 (Appendix F, Graph 4) compares parents reported satisfaction towards their experience at their child s preschool and the number of activities that they and the child s teacher have reported them participating in. Again, there seems to be no correlation between parents attitude (satisfaction) and participation in family activities. Continuing to study parent participation, Graph 5 (Appendix G, Graph 5) shows planned and reported participation throughout this study. The parent of Child one initially only planned to participate in one family activity, but later reported participating in 2; per teacher report the

27 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 27 parent participated in 2.5 activities, this meaning that the parent started one activity (STAR reading program) but has not yet completed the activity. Child twos parent also planned on participating in one activity, and later reported participating in one activity, but per teacher report that parent participated in three activities (the parent reported activity, as well as the STAR and HEART programs). There is a possibility that the parent did not recall participating in these activities or did not understand that they were the same activities that were explained during the initial interview. The parent of the third child planned on participating in one activity, but later reported participating in two activities; the teacher received no family activity forms back from this child. The parent of Child four planned on participating in one activity, and both parent and teacher report that this parent has participated in one activity. Finally the parent of Child five planned on participating in four activities, but later reported participating in only two activities; the classroom teacher only has data supporting parent participation in one activity. When looking at what activities parents most chose to participate in the research found that all five parents report that they read to their child daily (Appendix G, Graph 6), which is the most common form of parent participation in this study. Similarly, two parents participated in the STAR reading program, which rewards children who record reading daily with their families and return the form to the school. One parent participated in family activities listed in the newsletter. One parent participated in the HEART health program, and one parent reported volunteering in their child s classroom. At this time no parents have attended any Family Nights at the preschool. In Graph 7 (Appendix G, Graph 7) the researcher compared the education level of the mother to the number of activities that the parent participated in, since only mothers responded these are the activities that the mother has reported participating in. As seen in Graph 7 there is

28 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 28 no correlation between a mother s education and her participation in family activities. Similarly Graph 8 compares parent participation to parents report of their needs being met by the school, and again no correlation was found between these data. Finally, Graph 9 compares the Parent s rating of their own educational experience to the number of activities that they participated in. As seen in Graph 9 (Appendix G, Graph 9), there was no correlation with results at this time. The parent of Child 2 did report having the best experience in school as well as reported participating in the most activities. However, the parent of Child 1 reported having the most negative experience in school out of the families surveyed, and reported participating in more activities than Children 3-5. Accept/Reject Hypotheses Conclusions Based on the results from the data that was collected, Hypotheses one, two and three were unsupported by the data. The first Hypothesis studied stated that children whose parents report having a positive experience in their own education will be more likely to participate in family activities. According to Graph 9 (Appendix G), no correlation between Parent s attitude towards their own educational experience and Parent participation in school activities could be determined at this time. The parents of Child 2 did report having the most positive experience as well as participating in the most activities; however, the parents of Child 1 reported having the most negative experience but participated in more activities than children 3, 4 and 5. Although a correlation was unable to be determined at this time, the researcher did discover in Graph 1 (Appendix F), that there was a correlation between parents rating of their own education and their rating of their experience so far at their child s preschool. Parents of Children 1-4 reported having the same level of satisfaction at their child s preschool as they reported having with their

29 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 29 own education, while the Parent of Child 5 reported having a slightly more positive experience at the preschool than in their own education. Hypothesis two stated that Mothers who completed more years of schooling will be more involved in family activities. Again, at this time no correlation between the number of years of the Mothers education and her participation in her child s education was able to be determined. As seen in Graph 7 (Appendix G), the Parents of Children 1 and 3 reported having less education, but participated in more preschool activities. While Parents of Children 3 and 4 reported having more education and participating in less preschool activities. The parents of Child 5 reported having more education and participating in more activities. The results from 4 out of 5 families interviewed disagreed with the Hypothesis. Hypothesis three states that Parents who report feeling that the school meets the needs of the family will be more likely to participate in family activities. Again, the data results show no correlation between Parents who report that their family needs were met and the family s participation in preschool activities. As seen in Graph 8 (Appendix G) Parents of children 2-5 reported that yes their family s needs were being met, while the Parent of Child 1 said no that their family s needs were not being met. However, the participation in family activities varied for all children. Therefore, no correlation can be determined at this time. Interpretations of the Results According to results interpreted from the data, although no correlation was found based on the hypotheses other influential data was found. Graph 1 (Appendix F) found that Parent s rating of their own educational experience closely correlated with their rating of their experience with their child s preschool. There was also a positive correlation between the level of Education of Mothers and parent rating of their experience with their child s preschool (Graph 2, Appendix

30 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 30 F). Parents with a higher education reported having a more positive experience than those with a lower education. Finally, Graph 6 (Appendix G) shows the rate of responses that parents have given to each family activity provided. According to parent responses the most common form of parent participation was reading daily with their child. This information will be very beneficial when preparing family activities in the future. Relate Finding to Review of Literature When looking at the review of literature, many ideas were supported by previous research. The Data supported the statement by August & Shanahan which explained that language-minority parents express willingness and often have the ability to help their children succeed academically. There is evidence that these parents value their children s formal schooling and are responsive to attempts to involve them in supporting their children s school success (August & Shanahan, 2006, p. 257) The parents did express their interest in their child s success through the qualitative section of the first interview, which asked parents to explain what their goal is for their child. Parent responses included wanting their children to study a lot, to read more, to be successful, and to go to college. Parents also responded well to activities sent home for them to do with their child; as stated previously reading daily was the highest rated activity, to encourage reading books were sent home daily with the children. Kuo and Franke (2004) explain that The process of book sharing between a parent and a child not only promotes language and literacy development but also strengthens a child s emotional attachment to the parent and enhances the parent-child interaction (p. 1948). One parent s response confirmed this by explaining that reading daily has brought her family closer together. Books and STAR reading forms were sent home in Spanish

31 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 31 for the families to help parents understand the goal and to better participate in reading activities. This was supported by the research of Brilliant (2001), which found that a major factor of parent involvement is providing Literacy [activities] in the home language and English (p. 253). The Qualitative research from the second interview supported this as one parent answered that we could better help her by providing all papers home in Spanish; currently only newsletters and papers from the school are in Spanish (such as the STAR and HEART activities), papers from community organizations are only in English. Finally, two parents s mentioned specifically finding the bulletin/newsletter helpful for their family. This also supports Chavkin & Garza-Lubeck (1990) who explain that research has shown that Hispanic parents agree that Teachers should give me ideas about helping my children with homework ( 7), which is one of the main goals of the weekly newsletter. In the research of August and Shanahan (2006), it was found that parents of language minority children place a high value on their children s formal schooling and appear willing to do what they can to contribute to it (p. 295). The parents who participated in this particular research study were very interested in helping their children succeed in school, and responded well to attempts provided by the school, especially when in their native language. Problems with Possible Intervening Variables or Biases One of the largest biases in this study was low participation. The population used in this study included only children who spoke Spanish at least some of the time in their household, who also was enrolled in the researchers preschool classroom. Based on the population the researcher had available, only 5 students were invited and accepted participation. Because of the small sample size, results cannot be generalized outside of the sample used. Results may have varied more with more respondents.

32 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 32 Another bias in this study was the small period of time in which data was collected. For the purpose of this study data was collected over a period of ten weeks. If the researcher had collected a years worth of data on parent participation parents may have participated in more or less activities later in the year. Also, if the second interview was completed after a complete year of instruction parent responses to their experience at the preschool may have differed. Suggestions for Further Research For future research on this topic, a larger population size would be suggested. Results would be more generalizable if children from different classrooms and/or preschool programs were used, and this would also increase the population size. Another suggestion might be to create a longer research study where the researcher would be able to collect more data. For the purpose of this study the research was collected over a period of ten weeks. If the research period was longer the researcher would be able to collect more data on participation in family activities (ex: family nights, completed STAR and HEART forms, and volunteering in the classroom), and Parent s could have reflected on a complete year of experience when reporting on their experience at the preschool so far. This information would have created more reliable conclusions. More research needs to be conducted on all of the topics discussed in this report. It would have been interesting to see if the Hypotheses would have been confirmed with more participation from other classrooms or preschools. Also, it would have been interesting to see if parent responses would have similarities between different classrooms or if ESL parents respond more positively/negatively to certain teachers or teaching styles. There is still a great deal of room for research in this area.

33 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 33 Bibliography August, D. & Shanahan, T. (2006). Developing literacy in second-language learners. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Mahway, NJ. Brilliant, C. (2001). Parental Involvement in Education: Attitudes and Activities of Spanish- Speakers as Affected by Training. Bilingual Research Journal, 25(3), 251. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Chavkin, N., & Garza-Lubeck, M. (1990). Multicultural Approaches to Parent Involvement: Research and Practice. Social Work in Education, 13(1), Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Huennekens, M., & Xu, Y. (2010). Effects of a Cross-Linguistic Storybook Intervention on the Second Language Development of Two Preschool English Language Learners. Early Childhood Education Journal, 38(1), doi: /s Kuo, A. A., Franke, T. M., Regalado, M., & Halfon, N. (2004). Parent Report of Reading to Young Children. Pediatrics, Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Parker, S. W., & Pederzini, C. (2000, August 31). Gender differences in education in mexico. Retrieved from 6_ /Rendered/PDF/multi_page.pdf Parkes, J. (2008). Who Chooses Dual Language Education for Their Children and Why. International Journal of Bilingual Education & Bilingualism, 11(6), doi: / Pascopella, A. (2011). Successful Strategies for English Language Learners. District Administration, 47(2), Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Potowski, K. (2004). Student Spanish Use and Investment in a Dual Immersion Classroom: Implications for Second Language Acquisition and Heritage Language Maintenance. Modern Language Journal, 88(1), doi: /j x Shorr, P. (2006). Teaching America s Immigrants. Instructor, 116(1), Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Varela, E. (2010). Mainstreaming ELLs into Grade-Level Classes. Education Digest, 76(2), Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Williams, D.L., & N.F. Chavkin. Essential Elements of Strong Parent Involvement Programs. Educational Leadership 47.2 (1989): 18-. ProQuest. Web. 7 Sep

34 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 34 Appendix A: Parent Consent Form You are being asked to participate in a research study of how a parent s education level influences their attitude towards their child s education. To participate in this study you will be asked ten questions in an initial interview, then your child s academic progress as well as your participation in family activities will be tracked for the first six weeks of school, the study will be concluded with a final interview. Participation in this research is voluntary and you have a right to decline participation, or to withdraw at any time. As a participant you also have the right to choose not to answer specific questions you do not feel comfortable with. Participation in this study will not affect your child s enrollment in Oldham County Preschool. If you have concerns or questions about this study please contact the researcher Amanda Fox at: Oldham County Preschool (502) amanda.ginn@oldham.kyschools.us Your signature below means that you voluntarily agree to participate in this research study. Signature Date

35 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 35 Está invitado a participar en un estudio donde se investiga cómo el nivel de educación de los padres influye su actitud hacia la educación de sus hijos. Si participaría en el estudio se le pediría a diez preguntas en una entrevista inicial. Con su permisión voy a analizar el progreso académico de su hijo/ a así como su participación en las actividades familiares que se realizará durante las primeras seis semanas de la escuela, el estudio se concluye con una entrevista final. La participación en la investigación es voluntaria y tiene el derecho de no participar o retirarse en cualquier momento. Como participante tiene el derecho para no responder a preguntas específicas cuando no se sienta cómodo/ a. La participación en el estudio no afectará la inscripción de su hijo en el preescolar del Condado de Oldham. Si tiene algunas inquietudes o preguntas sobre este estudio, por favor póngase en contacto con la investigadora Amanda Fox: Oldham preescolar del condado (502) oldham.kyschools.us Su firma abajo significa que voluntariamente acepten participar en este estudio La Fecha Su Firma

36 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 36 Appendix B 1) Who lives in your household Mother Father Children (number ) Parents/Grandparents Other Family Involvement Initial Interview 2) What is your education level (Mother/Father)? 3) What is the education level of your child s (Mother/Father)? 4) Have you had children in the Oldham County preschool before? If yes, when? 5) How did you feel about school when you were a student? ⁰ ⁰ ⁰ ⁰ Not a good Okay Good Great Experience 6) What school activities do you plan to participate in this school year? (Information will be explained verbally and reminder notes will go home as activities occur) Suggested family activities in weekly newsletter HEART Health program STAR Reading program Reading daily with your child Attending family nights Volunteering in classroom 7) How many books does your child have? 8) How much television/computer do you allow your child to watch each day? 9) What is your dream for your child when he/she grows up?

37 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 37 La participación inicial de la entrevista familiar 1) Quién vive aquí en su casa? Madre Padre Los niños (número ) Los abuelos Otras familiares 2) Qué es su nivel de educación (madre / padre)? 3) Que es el nivel de educación de su (esposo/a)? 4) Ha tenido hijos en el Condado de Oldham preescolar antes? 5) Cómo se siente acerca de su experiencia cuando era un estudiante? ⁰ ⁰ ⁰ ⁰ No fue una Mas o menos/ Buena Excelente experiencia así así muy buena 6) Qué actividades de la escuela participaran en Este año escolar? Actividades sugeridas en el boletín semanal de la familia CORAZÓN programa de salud Del programa STAR de lectura La lectura diaria con su hijo Asistir noches familiares Voluntariado en el aula 7) Cuantos libros tienen su hijo/a? 8) Cuanto tiempo permite que su hijo/a vea la televisión/computadora? 9) Cuales son sus metas por su hijo en el futuro?

38 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 38 Appendix C Family Involvement Follow up Interview 1) How happy are you with your experience at Oldham County Preschool so far? ⁰ ⁰ ⁰ ⁰ Not a good Okay Good Great Experience 2) Do you feel your families needs are being met by your child s school? Is your child happy at school? Explain: 3) Do you feel welcome/comfortable in your child s school? Explain: 4) What school activities have you participated in this school year? (Information will be explained verbally) Suggested family activities in weekly newsletter HEART Health program STAR Reading program Reading daily with your child Attending family nights Volunteering in classroom 5) Do you find these school activities helpful for your family? Explain: 6) What could we do better for your family or your child?

39 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 39 La participación el seguimiento de la entrevista familiar 1) Esta satisfecho con su experiencia en el Preescolar del Condado de Oldham hasta ahora? ⁰ ⁰ ⁰ ⁰ No fue una Mas o menos/ Buena Excelente experiencia regular muy buena 2) Siente que las necesidades de las familias están siendo satisfechas por la escuela de su hijo? Es su hijo feliz en la escuela? Explicar: 3) Te sientes bienvenido / a gusto en la escuela de su hijo? Explicar: 4) En qué actividades de la escuela ha participado en este año escolar? (La información se explicó verbalmente) Actividades sugeridas en el boletín semanal de la familia CORAZÓN Programa de Salud El programa STAR de lectura La lectura diaria con su hijo Asistir a noches familiares El voluntariado en el aula 5) Encuentra estas actividades escolares de ayuda para su familia? Explicar: 6) Qué podemos hacer mejor para su familia o su hijo?

40 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 40 Appendix D: Initial interview responses 1) 2) Number of Family members in household Child 1 5 Child 2 6 Child 3 5 Child 4 7 Child 5 4 Education of Mother (years completed) Child 1 10 Child 2 12 Child 3 8 Child 4 12 Child ) 4) Education of Father (years completed) Child 1 12 Child 2 12 Child 3 8 Child 4 Child 5 12 Number of children who previously attended current preschool Child 1 2 Child 2 0 Child 3 1 Child 4 0 Child 5 0 5) Parent's rating of their educational experience Child 1 2 Child 2 4 Child 3 3 Child 4 3 Child 5 3 6) Newsletter Activities HEART Health Program STAR Reading Program Read to Child Daily Attend Family Nights Volunteer in Classroom Child Child Child Child Child

41 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 41 7) Number of Books in Home Child 1 20 Child 2 0 Child 3 5 Child 4 3 Child ) Amount of time (in hours) Child spends on TV or Computer Child 1 2 Child 2 1 Child 3 0 Child 4 1 Child 5 4 9) Child 1 Child 2 Child 3 Child 4 Child 5 Parent reported goals for their child's future study a lot read more Study and be successful To study Go to college. Success in whatever she decides

42 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 42 Appendix E: Follow up interview responses 1) Satisfaction with preschool so far Child 1 2 Child 2 4 Child 3 3 Child 4 3 Child 5 4 2) Satisfaction with preschool so far Child 1 2 Child 2 4 Child 3 3 Child 4 3 Child 5 4 3) Do Parents feel comfortable in the child's school Explain Child 1 Yes no explanation Child 2 Yes no explanation Child 3 Yes no explanation Child 4 Yes No explanation Child 5 Yes Teachers and staff are welcoming 4) Newsletter Activities HEART Health Program STAR Reading Program Read to Child Daily Attend Family Nights Volunteer in Classroom Child Child Child Child Child

43 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 43 5) Are these activities helpful for your family Explain Child 1 Yes The activities in the bullettin Child 2 Yes Everything is helping Brayan Child 3 Yes The bulletin Child 4 Yes No explanation Child 5 Yes Family reading brings us closer together. Family nights. 6) Child 1 Child 2 Child 3 Child 4 Child 5 What can the preschool do better for your family or your child? She wants him to come happy to school and wants to know what she can do. Everything is helping him. I am very happy. Send home all papers in Spanish. Nothing. Everything is great so far.

44 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 44 Appendix F: Parent Attitude Graphs Graph 1: Correlation between Parents education and attitude towards child's education Rating of Parent's educational experience Rating of Parent's satisfaction with the preschool Child 1 Child 2 Child 3 Child 4 Child 5

45 Years of Education PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 45 Graph 2: Education of Mother and Satisfaction with Preschool Satisfaction with preschool education of mother Linear (education of mother)

46 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 46 Graph 3: 4.5 Correlation between planned participation and attitude Satisfaction with preschool so far Number of activities Parent's plan to participate in Child 1 Child 2 Child 3 Child 4 Child 5 Graph 4: 4.5 Correlation between reported participation and attitude Satisfaction with preschool so far Number of activities Parent's reported participating in Child 1 Child 2 Child 3 Child 4 Child 5

47 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 47 Appendix G: Parent Participation Graphs Graph: Parent Participation Number of activities parents planned to participate in Number of activities parents reported participating in Number of activities teacher reported parents participating in Child1 Child 2 Child 3 Child 4 Child 5 Graph 6: Activity Preference Child1 Child 2 Child 3 Child 4 Child Newsletter Activities HEART Health Program STAR Reading Program Read to Child Daily Attend Family Nights Volunteer in Classroom

48 PARENTS ATTITUDE AND PARTICIPATION 48 Graph 7: Education of Mother compared to Participation Child1 Child 2 Child 3 Child 4 Child 5 education of mother Number of Activities Number of Activities participated in education of mother Graph 8: Parent Report that Family Needs are Met By School and Parent Participaiton Families needs meet Number of Activities participated Families needs meet Number of Activities participated in